Connect Europe holds General Assembly and sets strategic direction for 2026

Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina, 16 October 2025 – Connect Europe, the association representing Europe’s leading providers of connectivity networks and digital services, met this week in Sarajevo for its annual General Assembly, hosted by BH Telecom. Members approved the association’s Strategy 2026, confirmed key governance decisions, and welcomed new members, reaffirming Connect Europe’s role as the voice of a forward-looking European telecom community.

Strategy 2026: Building a Connected, Competitive, and Secure Europe

Connect Europe’s Strategy 2026 focuses on strengthening Europe’s digital competitiveness and sovereignty through innovation, investment, and collaboration.

Members agreed to continue advocating for reforms that enable a stronger Europe, underpinned by increased investment in resilient gigabit networks, AI-enabled services, and secure data infrastructure. In this context, as the presentation of the Digital Networks Act approaches, the Connect Europe community reiterated its call for ambition and for the concrete implementation of the key recommendations contained in the reports by Enrico Letta and Mario Draghi.

Growing Membership and Renewed Governance

Reflecting the association’s ongoing evolution, the General Assembly welcomed CETIN a.s. as a new member. CETIN operates the largest telecommunications network in Czechia, covering 99.6% of the population through fixed and mobile technologies, and provides international transit services to over 200 operators worldwide.

In governance matters, Steven Tas (Proximus) was reconfirmed as Chairman of the Executive Board for an additional one-year term, until the end of 2026. Board members A1 Telekom Austria, MEO, Telefónica, and United Group were renewed for a further three-year mandate, while FiberCop joined as a new member of the Executive Board.

Alessandro Gropelli, Director General of Connect Europe, said: “Connect Europe is powering a more connected, competitive, and secure Europe. Our members are at the forefront of investment and innovation – from fibre and 5G to AI-driven services. With CETIN Group and Ukrainian Telecom joining our ranks in 2025, our evolving community reflects Europe’s ambition to lead in connectivity and technology.”